O'Melveny Helps New Parents Transition Back to Billing Hours

In what appears to be the first of its kind to hit the legal industry, O'Melveny & Myers has launched Momentum One, a program designed to help new parents engaged in the process of returning to work.

Each parent participant is paired with a transition team that will help navigate the challenge of being a working mother (or father) for the first time, providing guidance and asking pertinent questions.

Apparently it works.

Managed through AbilTo, the program includes a series of video conferences and in-person meetings during which a new parent works with both a licensed clinical therapist and a behavioral coach.

The goal is to understand and adopt new behaviors that promote a practical work-life balance.

Yes, shocking as it may be, it appears as though O'Melveny is promoting a work-life balance.

It probably doesn't hurt that statistics show that providing such services to new mothers could save the firm upwards of $20,000 a pop. New mothers returning to work, on average, cost an employer $11,455 in productivity, $4,500 in turnover, and $4,347 in extra healthcare, according to Forbes.

Then there's the question of yearly lists that designate employers as the most female and family-friendly in the industry.

Some law firms clamor to have a place on these lists, pushing their so-called commitment to work-life balance and other relevant buzzwords.

Is the sudden concern for new parents returning to work merely a marketing ploy? Has O'Melveny set its eyes on Working Mother's 2011 list of Best Law firms for Women?